On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) decided to lift the highest alert level for the corona pandemic. “It is with great hope that I declare that Covid-19 is no longer a health crisis of international concern,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The decision was made after the emergency committee met for a 15th time yesterday. The committee advised Director General Ghebreyesus to end the emergency.
Ghebreyesus followed that advice: “The corona situation is currently sufficiently under control to lift the health emergency.” The decision has no concrete consequences because each country can decide on its own protection measures. Therefore, it is mainly a symbolic step.
Ghebreyesus also said the pandemic had killed an estimated “at least 20 million” worldwide. That is almost three times more than the official figures of his organization. He, therefore, warned that the virus still poses a critical threat.